Washington Nationals 2011 individual game tickets go on sale to the public next Thursday, March 3, and while the Nationals game day promotion/giveaway schedule is not final, many of the details are now available on Nationals.com.

Highlights this season include bobblehead nights for Jayson Werth, Ian Desmond, and a 3rd “fan choice” which will be determined by an online and in-the-park poll. The team has also expanded the highly popular “Pups in the Park” promotion. The perennial sellout event, in which dog owners can buy tickets to bring their pets to the game, has been scheduled for three games during the 2011 season.

In addition to the known dates and giveaways listed below, Friday Night Fireworks, Signature Sundays, and Sunday Kids Run the Bases programs will return on Fridays and Sundays. Notably absent from the schedule are the team’s free T-Shirt Tuesdays — a mainstay of the previous three seasons.

UPDATE: To purchase Nationals tickets before the official public sale date, click on this link and enter password FACEBOOK.

2011 Washington Nationals Promotional/Giveaway Schedule

Thu 3/31

Opening Day Cap (first 20,000 fans)

Sat 4/2

Magnet Schedule/Car Magnet (first 20,000 fans)

Fri 4/15

Jackie Robinson Day

Sun 4/17

Screech’s Birthday celebration

Sat 4/30

Umbrella (first 20,000 fans)

Sat 5/14

Pups in the Park

Fri 5/27

Frosty Mug (first 10,000 adults 21 & up)

Sun 5/29

Kids Bat & Ball Set (first 10,000 kids 12 & under)

Thu 6/16

Ladies Night

Sat 6/18

Kids Jersey (first 10,000 kids 12 & under)

Sun 6/19

Father’s Day: Nationals Road Cap (first 30,000 fans)

Mon 7/4

Patriotic Cap (first 20,000 fans)

Fri 7/8

Tri-Color Cap (first 10,000 fans 21 & up)

Sat 7/9

Pups in the Park #2

Sat 7/30

Jayson Werth Bobblehead (first 15,000 fans)

Thu 8/18

Ladies Night

Fri 8/19

Black Heritage Night

Sat 8/20

Ian Desmond Bobblehead (first 15,000 fans)

Sun 8/21

Kids Duffle Bag (first 10,000 kids 12 & under)

Sat 9/3

Team on Field Photo Day

Fri 9/0

Hispanic Heritage Night

Sat 9/10

Fans Choice* Bobblehead (first 15,000 fans)

Fri 9/16

Roberto Clemente Day

Sep 9/24

Pups in the Park #3

Sun 9/25

Fan Appreciation Day

* UPDATE: Voting is completed, and the fans choice bobblehead giveaway for September 10 will be rookie second baseman Danny Espinosa.

The Washington Nationals racing presidents continued a Presidents Day holiday tradition on Monday by appearing for the third consecutive year at Long Island’s Nassau Coliseum and conducting a race on ice skates between periods at a New York Islanders hockey game.

With the Florida Panthers in town, Fox Sports Florida captured the following video highlights in which Teddy
Roosevelt jumped from the stands onto the ice to take out George Washington between the first and second periods.

The Nationals mascot team used the occasion for George Washington and Thomas Jefferson to debut the presidents’ new 2011 road gray and alternate blue uniforms.

Racing President auditions were held Saturday at Nationals Park, continuing
a 5-year tradition of assembling Mount Rushmore hopefuls for tests of speed, stamina, and silliness on Presidents Day weekend.

The Nationals received over 150 applications for the coveted president positions according to Entertainment coordinator Tom Davis, and 60 applicants were selected to receiveinvitations to Saturday’s tryouts.

Candidates were asked to run a 40-yard dash in costume, compete against each other in two races, demonstrate their dancing and celebrating skills, and complete a panel interview with the entertainment staff.

For those who’d never run before in a 10-foot high, 45-pound costume, wind gusts of up to 60 mph added to the degree-of-difficulty; but the conditionswere a welcome alternative to last season for returning candidates, who last year had to race in two feet of snow.

As in previous years, Teddy Roosevelt was absent from the proceedings, but the contestants were able to run in the traditional 2006-2010 period garb costumes of George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, and Abraham Lincoln.

Our video chronicle of the day:

This year, three guest media candidates donned the famous costumes on Saturday, resulting in some great additional perspectives for PR fans. Danny Rouhier from WJFK 106.7 The Fan filed this video chronicle, Washington Post fitness columnist Lenny Bernstein added his outstanding perspective, and Dave Levy from WeLoveDC added this terrific report.

The Washington Nationals began packing for Viera, Florida, where next week pitchers and catchers will begin reporting for 2011 spring training. As part of a media event staged with team sponsor JK Moving and Storage, Teddy Roosevelt joined mascot Screech yesterday at the park to pack the moving truck for Viera.

Grapefruit League games begin March 1, and tickets are available now at nationals.com. Are you going this year?

On an unrelated note, Kurt Smith from the Ball Park E-Guides wrote a nice piece yesterday about the Let Teddy Win blog. Kurt is working on an E-Guide for Nationals Park to be released this spring. He hasn’t asked me for my tips yet, but if he’s been reading this blog since the Park opened, I’m sure he’s picked up a few.

As pitchers and catchers prepare to report to Florida to try to nab one of the final spots on the Washington Nationals roster, the Nats’ entertainment team is working to finalize the mascot roster back here in DC. The team has set a deadline of next Friday, February 11, to receive applications. Selected candidates will receive invitations to participate in the 2011 racing president auditions on — when else? Presidents Day weekend.

Interested candidates should e-mail a cover letter, resume and recent photo to entertainment@nationals.com and include “2011 Racing Presidents” in the subject line.